Welcome! As the title suggests, this is going to be a Marine-centric story set in the world of One Piece. Whether it'll be carried out on the forums or Discord is something I'm still contemplating. I'm aware of the advantages of both, but meh, not in a rush to decide. This thread will mainly be for brainstorming, interest checking, and updates on any worthwhile progress.[hr]
[b][u]Character Sheet Template:[/u][/b]
[hider=CS][code][CENTER][Appearance]
Quote - Optional[/CENTER]

[b]Name:[/b] What you want to be called. Include nicknames, monikers, and epithets.
[b]Age:[/b] Preferably stray away from the extremes. No pre-teens or passed middle age.
[b]Gender:[/b] Go nuts.

[b]Race:[/b] You may create your own as long as you provide some information regarding them. No giants or giant-variants though.
[b]Height & Weight:[/b] Feet/Inches & Pounds

[b]Personality:[/b] Help me get to know your character a little bit better.
[b]Origin Story:[/b] Weave me a tale. How did you end up in the Marines? Why did you come along with them? Why did they let you? Include what you want to get out of the naval life in this section. Are you looking for something in particular, or do you just particularly enjoy adventure? Maybe you're a true advocate of justice? If you want to have secrets and a bit of drama for your character, PM me the details.
 
[b]Abilities:[/b] Listed under this would be the things your character would be proficient in. Some examples would include fighting styles, weapon-wielding, carpentry, navigation, a special weapon, and powers granted by Devil Fruits. To promote the blossoming of creative geniuses as yourselves, we won't be creating lists of specific techniques or moves anymore. Instead, with each ability, you will provide a general description of what it allows your character to do; that itself would act as a limiter of some sorts. You are free to do whatever you want as long as it is within the scope of your abilities. Throughout the RP, these abilities will gradually and constantly become better. When achievements are and certain milestones are reached, you will be allowed to to add more facets/aspects to your abilities or improve already existing ones. You start with a maximum of three (3).

[b]Inventory:[/b] Pertinent weapons, armor, clothing, et cetera.
[b]Others:[/b] Miscellaneous items, quirks, or trivia about your character that do not go elsewhere.[/code][/hider]
[hr][u][b]Frequently Asked Questions [/b][/u]
[b][color=orange]1. Will this be in an Alternative Universe (AU)?[/color][/b]
Yes, this will be in an AU but I'll be taking bits and pieces from the canon lore throughout the story. Mostly locations and organizations, and at times, maybe certain individuals if need be. Timeline-wise, we'll be making use of when the actual canon story starts but previous events that took place will vary significantly in terms of detail.

[b][color=orange]2. Major changes would include the following:[/color][/b]
[hider][LIST][*][b]The Pirate King[/b]: The last Pirate King will still be Gol D. Roger, but his name along with others from his era have been forgotten in time given that it has been near a century since his demise. 

[*][b]Great Age of Piracy[/b]: The Pirate King's death successfully rallied many to set sail and go into the life of piracy, but this era was short-lived. The Marines were much more formidable and had amassed power and numbers far too quick for any pirate to go against. Although not completely quelled, pirates were no longer seen as much of a threat, leading to an era of relative peace.

[*][b]Fall of the Marines[/b]: However, like the era that came before this, it did not last long. With absolute authority, it was inevitable that corruption would arise. This eventually created a riff within the Marines, and later an all-out war among those who sought to maintain their reigns over the world with the Celestial Dragons and the rest who chose to uphold justice throughout the seas. The stalemate in this dispute was toppled by the intervening of the Revolutionary Army. Turning the tide, the Celestial Dragons along with those who served them, chose to flee to their Holy Land of Mary Geoise, closing their borders for the rest of the world.

[*][b]The Aftermath[/b]: With their strength and influence culled, the attempt of the Marines to continue to protect the seas was futile at best. Without the resources and numbers that they previously had, they were left with no choice but to thin out their forces across the world and allow each sea to independently function. As much as many were oppose to this, this seemed to be the wisest option they had at the time, and time proved them to be right. 

[*][b]The Present[/b]: Though scattered and scarce, the Marines remained operational and this was due to the efforts of those who chose to ally with them. Unlike before, the Marines serve as a less discriminatory organization and have employed individuals from various walks of life. Former pirates, ex-revolutionaries, criminals, bounty hunters, nobles, and the like. At present, they can't be too picky. And as long as one wishes to contribute to their cause, they'll readily accept them with open arms.[/list][/hider]
[b][color=orange]3. Who is this RP for?[/color][/b]
Of course its for those who are fans of One Piece and those who wanna get into it. But RPer-wise, its for those who have a One Piece itch that they need to scratch, but are willing to be patient enough to see this thing through. I'm saying this because I don't plan on making this a daily update or thrice weekly update thing. I'm not saying that those won't happen, but expect this RP to be a weekly thing. I'm aiming for longevity and to keep my goals attainable, the end I'm aiming for is reaching Reverse Mountains. This might raise some questions, but I'll try to address this later.

[b][color=orange]4. What would be the general plot?[/color][/b]
You'll be playing as a new marine recruit who most likely has a questionable background or a strange quirk. But that's cool; we don't judge here. I mean, as long as you aren't a full blown criminal, sure. Whether you'll be on a crew with others like you or moving in ever-changing teams, is still being discussed by me and my associates (myself and I). The later I mentioned earlier, is now. Anyway, although confined within the seas outside of the Grand Line, in terms of power, it'll be more similar to, or at least closer to, early Grand Line.

[b][color=orange]5. What are the Marines like at this point?[/color][/b]
They still have a similar vision with less of the authoritarian ideals. Since they're scattered all over without any real main base, the hierarchy that they currently have is slightly changed. More specifically the number of Admirals and the lack of Warlords. Without the World Government backing them, they get their resources from allied Kingdoms and independent benefactors who prefer the seas as pirateless as possible.

[b][color=orange]6. Got any idea on how the posting schedule will be like?[/color][/b]
Like I said, major updates will be done weekly but once in a while, when I have the time, I can dish out shorter ones. Since I'm asking for patience from my future participants, I hope to give back consistency.  

[b][color=orange]7. Can we start off with Devil Fruits?[/color][/b]
Yeah, I'm cool with that. I don't really have a cap in mind for the number of participants, so I'll initially be cool with suggestions and requests. However, once the numbers start to pile up, I'll be more cautious with what I let in. Just don't go all out and we're good. Remember, we're just starting out.

[b][color=orange]8. Are you going to use a stat system?[/color][/b]
Nah. Another thing I'm expecting from those who wish to join is that they'll know how to self-regulate their power. When in doubt, just ask and I'll help out. In the event of anyone deviating from this and going god mode, I'll surely step in.[hr]
I guess that's it for now. I'll update this thread in the next few hours or days.